They demonstrate independence.

Students can, without significant scaffolding, comprehend and evaluate complex texts across a range of types and disciplines, and they can construct

effective arguments and convey intricate or multifaceted information. Likewise, students are able independently to discern a speaker’s key points, request

clarification, and ask relevant questions. They build on others’ ideas, articulate their own ideas, and confirm they have been understood. Without prompting,

they demonstrate command of standard English and acquire and use a wide-ranging vocabulary. More broadly, they become self-directed learners,

effectively seeking out and using resources to assist them, including teachers, peers, and print and digital reference materials.

They build strong content knowledge.

Students establish a base of knowledge across a wide range of subject matter by engaging with works of quality and substance. They become proficient

in new areas through research and study. They read purposefully and listen attentively to gain both general knowledge and discipline-specific expertise.

They refine and share their knowledge through writing and speaking.
They respond to the varying demands of audience, task, purpose,

and discipline.

Students adapt their communication in relation to audience, task, purpose, and discipline. They set and adjust purpose for reading, writing, speaking, listening,

and language use as warranted by the task. They appreciate nuances, such as how the composition of an audience should affect tone when speaking and

how the connotations of words affect meaning. They also know that different disciplines call for different types of evidence (e.g., documentary evidence in

history, experimental evidence in science).